Ip Chun
On 2nd September 2004 our Association organised a trip to Hong Kong to primarily take part in Grandmaster Ip Chun's 80th Birthday. This birthday, in Chinese culture, is considered to be of great importance. A true marker in one's life to say that health and good fortunes has followed this person. His birthday celebrations was held on 9th September 2004. During the celebrations there were competitions (drinking?), Lion Dance, Surprise Gifts, and also Sifu Cheung Kwok Wan had the honour in presenting, on behalf of Combat Magazine, Grandmaster Ip Chun an award to commemorate his contributions in the martial art world.

Hong Kong
We Stayed at the 4* Eaton Hotel in Jordan, Kowloon District, Hong Kong. The temperature was over 30 degrees with humidity at over 90%. From time to time we escaped the heat by disappearing into shopping malls to enjoy the air conditioning, not the shopping. It is usually a shock to most when arriving to see high rise building everywhere and sometimes washing hanging from the windows. One of the shocks was to see bamboo being for scaffolding. Hong Kong is a very cosmopolitan island where everything is very materialistic. Everything must be convenient for the modern life such as the public transport, where you will never wait more than 7 minutes for the next bus or train. However, within this 'City of Life' you can also find tranquility such as mountain walks, public parks, temples, and sandy beaches. Since we were there for training our sight seeing were limited and we can't help but to be pulled into the hussle and bussle of this lively city.

Training
Sifu was was invited to be a judge for the Chi Sau Competition held in Shatin. The competition was judged on skill, control, and attitude control. The competition was promoted within Ip Chun Academy HK. The Shatin branch won the most trophies. We are also proud that our group were very much welcomed and were often commended for their good attitude and skills. Training were held in the Wing Chun Athlectic Association and at the Town Hall in Shatin. This year our group also attended City University Hong Kong to exchange ideas (Gou Lo) and discussed energies with Sifu Patrick Leung. However, one of the greatest moments was when each of the group crossed hands with Grandmaster Ip Chun outside the Ip Man Tong, Foshan, China.

Culture In China
Sifu Cheung Kwok Wan follows Grandmaster Ip Chun's examples by showing the ways of the Chinese Culture. This year our group took a detour to Beijing, the Capital of China. The tour consisted of all the usual tourist sites and a little bit more besides. Seeing the architecture and the hardships that the Chinese had endured during the Opium Wars, our group started to understand why Chinese people are what they are today. We also soaked in local popular places called the 'Ghost Street'. This street is famous for it's 24hr restaurants and red lanterns hung up along the entire street. Our guys were more interested in the cheap 25pence 3/4 litre Ting Tao Premium Beer! Another place was the 'Bar Street'. This street was lined with bars on both sides offering assortment of entertainment and drinks. This is where Ben Martin enjoyed his Birthday celebration. Our group stayed in a 4* hotel called The Paragon. Sifu also took a little bit of time to take a lesson in his room for his students.

Foshan
No practitioner of Wing Chun should ever miss a visit to Foshan, China, whenever they are in Hong Kong. Foshan is not only our roots, but it is also where the Ip Man Tong is found. This museum was erected in rememberance of the late Grandmaster Ip Man, but the process was not without a few hurdles. The main hurdle was the application for the Ip Man Tong Development from the government. Happily the the hurdle was crossed, which in turn meant that our Wing Chun Lineage is the most recognised.

Jung Tong Tsuen (Sifu's Ancestral Village)
Sifu took Michael, Darren, and Ashley with him to his ancestral village to partake in a Chinese tradition called, Bai Shan. This is where ofsprings of the elders come to the burial sites and pay their respects by burning incense and lighting fire crackers. Traditions like these instills in us the strong family values, and roots. It is Sifu's wish that his students learn balance in one's life. It is all too easy to be soaked into the glamour of 'physical' martial arts and forget the reality that surrounds us.